Taking a flight to your favourite destination or sipping on your favourite beverage at a local coffee shop can help you wind down after a long day at work. Fortunately, you can combat the noise with noise-cancelling earphones. Headphones made their mark in the past when it came to shielding your ears from noise, but we have moved to a different time and age. Earphones are emerging as a better noise cancellation solution.There aren’t many noise-cancelling in-canal earphones for consumers to choose from. Bose has been a well-known pioneer and leader in the noise cancellation category, but B&O Play has decided to make an earnest effort at getting their share of the market with the Beoplay E4. The Beoplay E4 is priced attractively and it offers many features that are hard to ignore.

Active Noise Cancellation

Besides getting crisp audio performance, the Beoplay E4 does not fail when it comes to offering exceptional noise cancellation. It has a sleek design, but it also has a bulky inline compartment which may be a bit of a bother for some. When you turn the ANC (Active Noise Cancelling) on, the world around you will gradually fade away. The slight touch of white noise from the sound-cancelling system will replace the disturbing sounds outside. It’s critical to mention that this effect is not perfect. Perfection is not mentioned when it comes time to discuss or cover noise-cancelling devices. It’s unrealistic for you to think that you will be able to convert a crowded shopping mall into your personal meditation studio.

ANCs eradicate noise by collecting rich ambient sound with a microphone, processing the direct signal, and projecting a clear sound wave with the opposing waveform. This cancels out the original waveform. Unlike earlier models, The E4s uses a unique hybrid active noise-cancelling system. This system performs extremely well when it comes to collecting the signal from a pair of microphones on each ear bud. It will use the dual signals build precise counter wave forms one each ear bud. On the lower end, this increases the ANC’s capability. For instance, the E4's cancel out up to fifteen decibels more low-frequency noise than some other models being sold in the market today.

These features are wonderful, but they don’t provide the user any value if the ear buds fail to deliver top-notch audio quality. In this instance, the E4's are designed to surpass the expectations of the user. Their performance at the high-end of the frequency range is more than satisfactory. You can sit back and enjoy the clarity in the low-range and mid-range spectrum. Besides wearing them on flights, MRT or even buses, you will be tempted to wear these earbuds in almost every day situations.

Design

Design is one feature that cannot be overlooked while evaluating noise-cancelling in ear canal earphones. When it comes to aesthetics, the Beoplay E4 earphones don’t fall short of upholding the B&O brand. With an attractive matte black finish, the buds are designed to blend in and complement your ears. The bold B&O logo is displayed on the outer panel. This is B&O’s way of setting the precedence for their item.

A convenient inline remote control is on the left ear’s cable. The remote has three buttons and a central multi-function button. The central multi-function button allows you to control call management, track navigation, and playback with ease. The outer buttons are not labeled, but this will not hinder you from controlling the volume.

The cables merge around the mid torso, and there’s a compartment (1.9-by 1.2-by-0.4-inch) with a white B&O logo and black rubberized finish. The micro USB charging cable connects in this area, and this is also where the noise cancellation switch is located. You can choose transparency mode (hear your surroundings without taking off your headphones), noise canceling, or select the passive mode.

The inline remote and inline compartment can give you the impression that you are weighted down, but it will also feel secure. To the surprise of some, the B&O Beoplay E4 does not have a clip attached to the inline compartment. A clip would not give it sex appeal, but it would have lowered the noticeable sense of cable tug. The Beoplay E4’s design makes it easy to store if you have large pockets in your pants or shorts.

The E4 has a 130cm cable that ends in a peculiar L-shape. Fortunately, the cable does not get tangled up when it’s placed in a bag. This is great news if you have experienced difficulty with cables attached to ear buds in the past.

The ear tips are comfortable and they provide a secure fit. This is great when you consider that you may wear them for a long period of time. They are made out of a light scratch-resistant metal.

The inline mic is extremely impressive. It uses the Voice Memos app on the iPhone 6. You will be able to understand every recorded word with ease. This is what you call pure clarity!

The Beoplay E4 comes is powered by an external battery pack. The battery pack on this model has a rectangular shape and rounded sides. Its sleek design makes it easy to slip into your pocket for discretion.

Battery Life

According to B&O, the battery life for noise cancellation is close to twenty hours. This is enough time for long flights and visits from pesky in-laws. However, your volume levels and the combination of passive modes and noise-cancellation will determine your actual play time. The indicator on the switch turns red when the battery life is down to ten percent. This is neat, but B&O should have considered installed a feature that would warn you before your battery get to this point.

Well, you may not be pleased with the E4's placement. There is a little more than one inch of cabling separating it from the jack. Let’s say you push it into the pocket that holding your music player. There is a strong chance of you scratching your screen. You must take careful measures to slip the E4 carefully into your pocket. You can let it hang outside of your pocket, but this will tug your ear buds and you will feel the weight.

Performance & Sound Quality

The B&O Beoplay E4 earphones offer a crisp balanced sound and excellent noise-cancelling capabilities. Like its competitors on the market, they also have an audible high-frequency hiss. This may seem like a big problem, but you will barely notice it. The earphones will excel when it comes to blocking out loud noises on the train and plane. You need to consider getting a more advanced model if you are interested shielding your ears from the chatter coming from your co-workers in the office. An advanced model will protect your ears from office gossip and help you stay focused.

At the end of the day, Beoplay E4 gets high marks for its ability to cancel noise. Please keep in mind that it performs well while you’re listening to your favourite music artists. Monitoring your surroundings with the toggle mode is a nice feature that cannot be overlooked. Pushing the noise-cancelling switch will set the stage for monitoring your surroundings via built-in ambient microphones. Your music can be muted in transparency mode, but it will not pause the playback on this nifty device.

The Beoplay E4 is ideal for all music genres. With this point in mind, it’s fair to say that the Beoplay E4 is suitable for people from all walks of life. Whether it’s Rock-n-Roll, Hip-Hop, or Jazz, these noise-cancellation ear pieces can deliver the sound quality consumers expect. Let’s say you are a big fan of Pop music. Simply put your ear buds on and listen to the cool sounds of Bruno Mars. You will be able to hear the bass guitars, drums, and vocals without any distortion. In layman’s terms, you will feel that you are sitting down at his concert. This is may be a bold statement, but the B&O play will not disappoint you.

Pros of the Beoplay E4

-Fine quality sound that will surpass your expectations

-A secure and comfortable in-ear fit

-Deep bass and bright highs

-The noise cancellation feature works extremely well

Cons for the Beoplay E4?

-The control box is extremely heavy

-There are no wireless capabilities

-Dated design

-May be difficult to reach controls

What’s Included

The Beoplay E4 comes well equipped. It comes included with five different bud sizes to fit almost every ear type and shape. One pair is foam while the others are rubber. The rubber ear buds tend to be more comfortable for longer periods, while the foam provides maximum seal to block off noise. You will also get a short micro USB charging cable, an airline jack adapter, and a durable carry case.

Our Verdict

Many are now starting to discover the advantages of using noise cancelling earphones. They are easy to carry around and they work extremely well. In the past, one would have to put on a pair of headphones and experience pure serenity. Nowadays, noise-cancelling technology has improved so much that you can now simply put on earbuds. Bose has been a clear leader in this category, but they are now facing a new challenge from B&O Play. The Beoplay E4 is the new kid on the block!

The Beoplay E4 earphones are solid and dependable. They are attractive and they offer premium sound. At their price, this is one deal you should not overlook. The Beoplay E4 is remarkable when it comes to noise-cancellation. Unlike other models on the market, the E4 has the features that will quell outside sound and offer premium audio within seconds.

That said, the Beoplay E4 has its drawbacks. For example, it may take a little time for you to get accustomed to the awkward positioning of the noise-cancelling remote. It would have been great if the microphone unit was combined with the control box. However, this is a minor frustration and would not be a deal breaker for most. It may not have the slickest design, but it will do the job of tuning out the world and give you a peace of mind when you most need it.